earnings

Everyday

1. (money) The money a person gets for working: wages or salary. tree →
2. (money) The profit a business makes. tree →
3. Money you get from any work, like pocket money for chores. tree →

In the lessons

In adult life and maths problems, earnings are money in: «His earnings are 20 dollars an hour; how much for 8 hours?» (multiply: 160 dollars). Business news talks of company earnings. Phrases: «weekly earnings», «total earnings», «earnings per hour», «average earnings».

Examples

• Mum's earnings went up when she got a new job. tree →
• My earnings from washing cars were 15 pounds. tree →
• If you earn 6 dollars an hour, your earnings for 5 hours are 30 dollars. tree →
• The company reported big earnings. tree →
• She saved half her earnings. tree →
• Taxes are taken from your earnings. tree →
• They were so poor that they could save nothing at all; all their earnings went in bare food, and when that was gone there was nothing left. tree →

Note

Always plural in this sense: «my earnings are», not «my earning is». Verb: earn (earned). In maths, total earnings = rate × time; earnings minus spending = savings.